Purple Wind Turbines Could Save Wildlife

While wind turbines allow us to harness the power of the wind to create a renewable source of energy, their spinning blades can also serve as a potential danger to wildlife. But a group of researchers in the UK may have found a solution to keep birds and bats away from the blades: by painting them purple.

According to the report, the reason that so many birds and bats flock to the turbines is that they offer up a feast of bugs to feed on. But by painting the turbines a different color, as opposed to the standard white or light grey, it may deter insects from landing on them, which in turn would keep birds and bats safe from the blades.

"Our major conclusion from this work is that turbine paint colour could be having a significant impact on the attraction of insect species to the structure, both during the day and at night," PhD student Chloe Long told the BBC. By testing various colors, the team determined that purple was the least attractive to insects and that white and grey where two of the most attractive colors.

"If the solution were as simple as painting turbine structures in a different colour this could provide a cost-effective mitigation strategy," explained Long. However, there may be other factors that make the turbines attractive to insects, such as the heat they give off.

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